The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (3000 N. Meridian Street) is the site of the Indiana Fever’s 2008 Read to Achieve and WNBA Fit Tipoff Event on Thursday, May 15, bringing attention to reading and fitness to approximately 200 third-grade students from several Indianapolis Public Schools. The Fever’s annual community tipoff event will include Fever players, coaches and mascot Freddy Fever - showcasing both community initiatives from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

The event highlights WNBA Cares Week, May 11-18 as proclaimed by Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. It serves as a start to the WNBA season which commences on Saturday, May 17.

WNBA Read to Achieve is a year-round, league-wide initiative that promotes the value of reading and literacy. The WNBA Fit program delivers important messages related to health, fitness, nutrition and self-esteem. Thursday’s Tipoff will highlight both initiatives at one of Indianapolis’ most popular landmarks for kids.

The 200 children will participate in reading groups at select exhibits throughout the museum, and a basketball and fitness clinic outdoors. The Reading TimeOut will venture through four different exhibits: Dinosphere, Comic Heroes, infoZone and Store Avenue, with guest readers reading books to, and with, the students.

The Fever’s regular season opener is Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse against the Washington Mystics (7:00 p.m.). Led by WNBA All-Stars Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas and Tammy Sutton-Brown, the Fever bids for its first WNBA Finals appearance after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in two of the past three seasons. Season tickets are available at FeverBasketball.com or by calling (317) 917-2500.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a non-profit institution committed to creating extraordinary family learning experiences that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. The 433,000 square-foot facility houses 11 major galleries. Visitors can explore the physical and natural sciences, history, world cultures, the arts, see how dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago in Dinosphere: Now You’re in Their World, experience Dale Chihuly’s Fireworks of Glass and examine children’s impact in shaping history in The Power of Children: Making a Difference. The Children’s Museum, situated on 13 acres of land in Indianapolis, presents hundreds of programs and activities each year. For more information about The Children’s Museum in English and Spanish, visit childrensmuseum.org.